An American writer captured nearly two years ago was released in Syria, U.S. officials said Sunday.
Peter Theo Curtis, 45, was freed from the "clutches" of Jabhat Al-Nusra (the al-Qaeda affiliate fighting in Syria), Secretary of State John Kerry said.
Curtis, who was born Peter Theophilus Eaton Padnos, changed his name after penning two books so that he could travel through the Middle East without hindrance, according to a statement by his family, released by the State Department.
While travelling in Yemen, he grew enchanted with youth from the West studying Islam, and wrote about his observations in his book, ?Undercover Muslim,? the family statement said. He was also a freelance writer for the ?New Republic,? where he wrote about war-torn Syria. His mother, Nancy Curtis, said in a statement that her son has a ?deep concern and regard for the people of Syria.?
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